Tuesday 23 December 2014

Team Avatar

So the internet is all a buzz with the ending of Avatar: Legend of Korra.  The creators confirmed that yes, she and the beautiful, engineering genius and robot building Asami are in a romantic relationship in the end.  As progressive as this ending may seem, I am disappointed that it just confirms the stereotype that no matter how strong or intelligent the woman, she is still incomplete without a romantic partner. 

I took a course on deconstructing and critically analyzing children's literature this fall (I crushed it, btw...A+ 100% yayaah!).  It was an excellent platform to raise issues with the inequalities and assumptions present in the materials we indoctrinate children into learned society with.  Anyway, it got me thinking a lot about gender inequality and female heroine stereotypes.  Korra is strong, physically and spiritually with a muscular body, undergoes some trauma and becomes all broody for a while, CUTS HER LONG HAIR OFF INTO A SHORT BOB...excuse you Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, you don't know me, YOU DON'T KNOW MY LIFE, then ends the series in a relationship with her female best friend after only the scarcest Easter eggs and sneaky blushes.  So what do we know, Korra is strong, had something bad happen at the hands of a man that was symbolic of rape, now has short hair, and enjoys crude humour.  Asami is beautiful, wears makeup, is flirtatious with some men, and a total brilliant vixen with a heart of gold.  They both had a thing for Mako and the failing of their relationships with him brought them together.

However, the many facets of the LGBT community certainly should be represented in entertainment and children's programming.  Korra and Asami are both boss ass bitches with vivacious personalities and this ending was just plain bland. I don't feel like it did justice to the uniting of two female powerhouses. I understand the issues of censorship and that love is a sneaky emotion, but it should not be so ambiguous that the creators have to tell fans to re-watch previous seasons for Easter eggs. I can appreciate what DiMartino and Konietzko were trying to accomplish and it is noble to give role models for the LGBT community in cartoon form, but I'm not sure if two 30-something year old white guys should be masterminding the fictional champions of bisexuality though. 

Anyway that's my rant.   

Monday 22 December 2014

From the Vault

A REAL POST!  It's a Christmas miracle f'sho!

     A little over a month ago, my boyfriend and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary.  He's been in a different city for his university so we've been doing the long distance thang since January of last year.  Needless to say, I think fondly of him all the time and miss him dearly when he is away.

     Our first semester apart was a challenge, but it ultimately was the catalyst for a much needed reinvestment in the relationship.  We faced an obstacle together and both put in the work to make it into a relationship worth investing in (it really wasn't hard because we care deeply for each other on many levels, it just took a plan and open communication).  Anyway, when he first returned home in the late spring, our home town of Vancouver was balmy, humid, and global-warmingly pleasant.
     I was so excited to reunite with my swarthy, bearded cherub!  The day finally came and I made the journey to his house.  I thought it was odd that he didn't offer to pick me up though.  I was too filled with anticipation for real hugs that I wasn't miffed for long.  I burst through the back door and made my way to the basement living room.


     Instead of greeting me with open, tanned arms, he was crouched on the ground.  To my disappointment, his face was sombre, almost nauseated.


 I knew something was terribly wrong.  Was his pet bunny dead?


     The growing tension was intolerable, I had to find out what turmoil awaited us.  I could see the bunny in his usual hangout under the TV, so that knocked out one type of trauma.  I asked what was wrong and he put his finger to his lips and pointed to the work desk.  Drawers were strewn across the floor.  I crouched down and peered into the dark cavern, inside was a pair of glowing green alien eyes!

     This random cat squeezed through an open window or door at some point and made itself a home in the desk.  He has never owned a cat and we are both painfully allergic.  Frightened, dehydrated, and probably hungry, it just stood in the desk and yowled like some sort of hell beast.  I named it Kitty Goo Goo, as an homage to Milhouse ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=275vJI2qYBI  just in case).
     After strategically opening  windows, attempting to lure Kitty Goo Goo out with a ham and cheese platter, and forcing my boyfriend to don work boots, a ski jacket, work gloves, and a safety broom to herd the cat out the window, we finally set Kitty Goo Goo loose on the world again.  It was like that weird movie everyone references in King of the Hill about a couple rekindling their romance by letting a pig go in their house, except probably with a lot more legitimate screams of fear.  That was one angry cat.


Saturday 29 November 2014

Omens

My anxiety about finals is manifesting itself through stressful dreams as usual. 

     Last night I dreamt  I was a waitress and flung a fancy, Christmas tree-shaped cheese platter on the floor and started to cry.  As tears streamed down my face and I frantically apologized to the patrons, the tables and all accessory items in the restaurant started to melt and I was overwhelmed with how much I would have to pay in damages out of my salary. 

This does not bode well.

Sunday 23 November 2014

My name is Thing of Stuff and I have a Problem

Hi, I'm a 5th year university student with an addiction to online shopping.  I think I just spent about $80 on a crystal shrine for my work desk in my bedroom.  By think I mean know.  Because it just happened, over the course of yet another hermit, shut-in day studying and working on assignments.  Let's admire the unnecessary shit I just bought.
 A magical obsidian pyramid, because why not?
 I named him  Herman ^, I hope he likes glazed doughnut scented candles.
 Platonic Solids, whatever that means...I just really wanted a Merkabah star at first...whatever that means.  Crystal goes with whatever I choose to decorate my future home with.
You can't sit with us...CAUSE MY DESK ONLY SEATS ONE!  I'm not even into metaphysics, I just really, REALLY like geology and crystals and geology samples.  I used to want to be a psychologist/counsellor at a mining camp so all the men wouldn't do cocaine anymore.  Their loss.

Last week of school, then one solid hell week of exams, then one more semester...then one last class in the Summer...I...can...do it.

Sunday 26 October 2014

What a World

I don't know why I can Google "C.H.U.D. jack o'lantern" and get images of female circumcision, child birth, and crowning, but Google safe search won't tell me "why is getting butt implants a thing".  I am living in a world of horror.  All I wanted was to carve a glowing Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dweller on my pumpkin this Halloween night and finally understand if Nicki Minaj's ass is attractive or not based on the ideals of modern ass-man culture.

The Struggle is real.

Saturday 11 October 2014

HALP!

I AM THE PROCRASTINATION!

What ever.  There was no new episode of Sailor Moon Crystal this week so I had to get my fix somehow.

http://www.dolldivine.com/sailor-senshi-maker.php

Do it.  You know you want to.

Today I wrote my first Japanese composition.  I feel very accomplished.  Unfortunately I spent hours on it instead of working on my take home midterm evaluating and writing a review of a controversial picture book (which is a pretty freakin' cool assignment in itself and I should be excited to do it!) but I already took my extensive notes on the pictures alone, the words alone, and how the pictures and words work together.  The next step is reading other, professional reviews of the book and I don't want to lose my excitement about the book by having to see hacks tear it apart. 

Anyway...every magical girl needs some armour.  I'm gonna go buy shit on eBay.

Wednesday 1 October 2014

Here we go Again

Hey guys,

I no longer have time to bathe but I made time for this, so if you've chosen to drop in, thanks!
As you may have noticed I never post anymore and it is because I have let my life spiral out of control with business.  Who would've known 400 level courses would be a shit-tonne of work?  Oh well, this is the price of finishing a degree in an inflated economy.  YAY GROWN UP!

In one of my minuscule study breaks I was looking at an article about those middle American bakeries that denied making wedding cakes for same-sex couples and then cried about it after their businesses got boycotted.  #bigotsgonnabogot

I found this gem in the comments section:
I believe in happiness and unity and unicorns and corn and being kind to everyone even stupid jerks no matter what they believe.  It was nice to see that the comments were light-hearted and not a huge religious mess debate.  That's pretty uncommon on these contentious topics, especially Ariana Grande's high pony tail and how basic liking Pumpkin Spice Lattes is.

Thanks for reading <3

I'll be sending you faceless masses my love if you send me some luck surviving the semester from hell.  If I survive I get to go to a grad school where I get studio time in a REAL LIFE ART STUDIO so maybe I can get in touch with my creative side again...god I miss her.

Saturday 26 July 2014

Ego Psychology

Oh hey, internet, long time no see.

oh.

wait.

That's completely my fault and I am a terrible person for my lack of time management.  Thankfully, for those of you left to care, I had a good little getaway last week and made some leisure time for drawing and thinking, so I should actually have some posts to share before I get caught up in the chaotic monotony of finishing a degree this fall.

Anyway, here's what we've all been waiting for, an actual post!

But first, have this song playing while you read the rest of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq7aPbt-120

I did a Disney villains quiz on  Zimbio a while ago, (here's the link, I'm sure you're curious now too: http://www.zimbio.com/quiz/Yj_54KBJSTd/Which+Disney+Villain+Are+You )
see what you gone get.

     If you haven't figured out who I got yet, it was Gaston, from Beauty and the Beast.  It actually upset me for days upon days after.  The worst part is that because this classification bruised my ego so hard, it confirms that I am actually a lot like him.
     As Disney villains go, he's pretty innocuous.  He's overall very human and emotionally vulnerable, has no magical powers and doesn't kill or skin anyone.  He's vain, and hard headed, and holds a grudge.  Unfortunately this does sum me up pretty well.  Actually...pretty much on point right there.  I know it was just a quiz for fun, but it was kind of an horribly rude awakening in a way.  I'd have much rather received Cruella or Ursula or Jafar or something, at least they are fabulous. 
Cruella had fabulous hair too, I mean she did start the half dark half light trend that even the likes of Nicki Minaj got on board like last year.

I digress.

     I think what upsets me most is that Gaston is exactly the foil of what I find attractive in a man.  IMO, he's really fruggin' gross, all neck muscles and shiet.  I do like chest hair though.  And he does incorporate antlers into all of his interior decorating.

Oh what a guy, that Gaston.

     Upon closer inspection, I am probably a bit of an alpha female and I guess we can relate on that.  I would like to have lackeys that sing backup too; that would be neat, a real perk to being "evil".  Is it really so wrong to be sexy and know it?
     You know what?  He's confident, that's not such a bad thing.  Not to mention that he's romantically obsessed with success in love and finding the perfect life mate.  He sets his sights on what he wants and goes for it, perhaps not in the most romantic or appealing way, but he tried.  He did plan an entire wedding on his own in Provincial style with flair.  He's no valiant hero, but he's not bad as villains go.  Let's not forget that he was saving his unrequited love from a beast monster that was keeping her prisoner in an abandoned-looking castle.  From an outsider's perspective, it would have been very easy to misconstrue that whole situation.

Upon closer inspection, I have decided it is not so bad to be most like Gaston than any other Disney villains.  Hopefully I'll never be roughly the size of a barge, so I'm going to try to let this go.
It has literally been 4 months with this in the back of my mind as a source of disgust with myself and the universe.  I suppose I am pretty stubborn too.  That was some good catharsis.

Some damn good catharsis.

      




Sunday 20 April 2014

Almost There

One last final to go! 
     Just thought I'd fit in one rant before I get back to studying and finishing a unicorn princess tiara for an out of season Mardi Gras frat party.  Anyway, selfies are talked about and made fun of a lot.  This issue is neither here nor there for me due to the reams of empty compliments via likes I farm for avante garde and modelling pictures; but when classic selfies come up on my FaceBook, it usually just rubs in the fact that my boobs have never touched by their own volition...ever.  Even when I wear super push up bras.  I have a 34 A bra that makes them touch but that's not at all impressive.  Oh well, world takes all types.  At least I don't post selfies in backless dresses or cut-out dresses bragging about how I can wear band aids on my nips and shit's still perky.  Anyway, I challenge us to think about why we post selfies in the first place. 
     Harumph, I can't even imagine having real cleavage.  Many girls say it is limiting in the wardrobe department, but imagine the power of 47 likes for a blurry-ass picture of your creased boob-meat and full face of makeup taken on a iMac in your childhood bedroom.  The power.

Tuesday 1 April 2014

Procrasterbation

     Yes I should be sleeping now, and yes I should have been studying this whole evening.  Instead, I confirmed that I am, in fact, She-Ra Princess of Power.

yuuuussssssssssssssss.

I knew it all along.

Wednesday 5 February 2014

New Year Same Old Ish

Mmmmmm haaay!

Welcome to the future!  (kind of)  I think 2015 is when the future will really arrive.

    It is amazing how much more human I feel after 5 weeks back in school, regardless of midterms and general assignment stress.  Working out and taking fitness classes has me feeling much sleeker.  I am back in my element.
     Sleeping regular hours and only working 2 days a week certainly helps as well.  I honestly feel like I've come out of a cloud almost like depression, except chronic-fatigue-induced.  Words cannot describe how much I have missed school.  It was one of the worst decisions of my life to take a semester off in retrospect.  Not that is has set my degree progress off by much, it was just such a waste of time pouring so much energy into a minimum wage job when I should have been doing something that earned tips and wasn't at 5 in the frucking morning.

Oh well.

Such an unpleasant life lesson.

     Anyway, it was recently my friend's birthday so I made her a clever and sentimental Facebook post because I am a nice friend.  In my quest for a classic Troll doll, complete with belly jewel and birthday gift donkey rope, I came across some truly disturbing images related to the Google image search "birthday troll". 
This is not the first time Safe Search has failed me...

I also have noticed that my junk emails increase exponentially when I head back to school.  I received this treasure a few weeks ago.
I don't know what a Bolivian woman with a child wants to do with a 21 year old girl.  I'll have none of what she's selling though.

     Next week I have some time off, I've been designing a Mandala for myself because I just finished learning about Jungian Analytic Psychology (total BS, but a fun-fact-filled piece of psyc history) so I plan on doing some legit drawings.  Sadly my life hasn't been very exciting lately, but I'll try and whip something entertaining together.

Happy new year internest peeps, don't forget, a horse is basically a unicorn!  It should be the final stage of transformation into my ultimate form, I hope.  Cryptic, I know, but I've had to do a lot of self reflection over the last 6 months and I am not backing down from chasing many of my Kray-Kray dreams and fanciful creative projects.

Thanks for your patience!